AUSTRALIA SPECIAL EDITION 1KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ME FOR THE ONE PLACE I’D LIKE TO LIVE IN THE
world, most days I start telling them about this easygoing town in Australia
where I’ve shared more than one wave with dolphins. It’s cultured yet unassum-
ing, refreshingly friendly, and has an addictive natural beauty that starts at the
waterline and extends inland about as far as you care to venture. Once you get
going about Byron Bay (page 9), it’s hard to stop.
The same could be said for Australia as a whole: cities, beach towns, un-
tamed coastline, and the lot. I lived and worked there for a stretch – and, let’s
be honest, worked to surf there – circumnavigating the continent by car and
bisecting its red center twice while trying to figure out how to stretch that mo-
ment into a lifetime. In fact, if it weren’t for family, I would never have left.
(Love ya, Mom!)
When Tourism Australia asked us to create a special edition for Virtuoso
travelers, some inclusions were obvious: what locals love most about Sydney
(page 22), how to spend a day in Melbourne (page 6), and a food critic’s guide
to the best dishes around the country (page 14). But for every sunset at Uluru
or snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, there are at least a dozen other adventures
that merit a spot on travelers’ must-do lists, such as the Kimberley (page 19).
My hard-won tip after bumping across the rugged northwest region’s road
connecting Darwin and Broome: Splurge on a helicopter or take a small-ship
expedition cruise next time.
The challenge with our Australia special edition quickly became “What to
leave out?” That’s often the conundrum facing North Americans too. Virtuoso
travel advisors and their on-site connections in Australia excel at crafting high-
light-reel itineraries, but as they – and anyone who’s been there – will tell you,
there’s infinitely more to love than fits into a two-week dream trip. The days of
whirlwind grand tours of Europe have given way to more frequent, focused (and
relaxing) vacations; our approach to Australia should follow suit. And with
more flights from North America this year than ever, it’s never been easier:
more than 120 weekly nonstops, plus 55 one-stop flights via New Zealand
and numerous other one-stop options.
Whether you’re a soon-to-be first-timer or a seasoned Australia traveler,
we hope the following pages inspire the next of numerous trips down under.
Maybe I’ll see you in Byron.Australia, All-In
Justin Paul
Senior Editor, Virtuoso LifeEDITOR’S NOTE